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I give him a reassuring smile. “It’s more than okay.”

As soon as we pull onto his driveway, his front door opens. My heart skips a beat as he walks toward the Jeep. Wearing a black leather jacket over a thin black sweater and dark jeans, he looks incredible. I glance at Aldo to find him watching Doug with the same hungry look I’m sure is mirrored on my own face.

Lane reaches across and opens the door for him and Doug climbs in, pulling it shut behind him. “Evening, all. I swear I can’t remember the last time I saw anyone else but you tossers.”

I just grin at him, even as Lane thumps him in the arm, because for some reason I can’t explain, having him here with us settles something in my soul. Like things are balanced.

It’s not far from Doug’s place to the Italian restaurant Aldo suggested to me after practice this morning, and we’ve barely made a dent in our small talk when Aldo pulls the Jeep into a parking space nearby. We hurry against the chilly evening air and bustle through the door, instantly relaxing into the warmth of the restaurant.Elio’sis cozy, lit by candles and dimmed lights, and the air filled with the comforting scent of garlic, tomatoes, and herbs.

Lane speaks to the hostess, who greets us with a warm smile and leads us to a small round table tucked away in the back. I sit down between Lane and Aldo and look around, taking in the atmosphere and trying to quell the buzzing excitement in my blood.

It’s only as Doug sheds his jacket, hanging it over the back of the chair, that it dawns on me. Aldo only mentioned dinner in passing this morning. Like it was a spur of the moment thing. I assumed Lane would be joining us, and of course Doug is a surprise, but the restaurant is way nicer than the ‘little pizza place’ Aldo described it as, and they’re all so dressed up. It feels like an occasion.

Like a celebration.

I narrow my eyes at Lane, who’s peering at the wine menu with Aldo. They both grin at each other and order a bottle that sounds vaguely familiar.

Their smiles slip when the server leaves and they notice my face.

“What’s wrong?” Lane asks.

“I think,” Doug whispers loudly, winking at me. “Ithinkshe may have figured it out.”

I reach out and smack Lane’s chest. “You bastard.”

He holds up his hands in mock surrender. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

I turn and look at Aldo who does an admirable job of looking innocent, right up until I poke him in the chest. “You tricked me.”

“I did not,” he says, shaking his head. “I invited you out for dinner. You’re out for dinner.”

The server returns with the wine and Aldo gestures for me to try it before it’s poured. I’m still so annoyed with them that I don’t even look at the bottle and it’s only when I taste it that my eyes widen, and I turn to see the label.

“Is this . . .?”

“Yep,” Lane says, grinning from ear to ear.

It’s the same wine he found in his cupboard the first night the three of us slept together. I try not to look at Doug, my skin heating as I nod at the server, and she pours us all a glass.

“Happy birthday,” Doug says loudly, raising his glass.

Lane groans. “Fucking hell.”

I laugh, reaching across the table to clink glasses with Doug before turning to the other two. “So, this was all a plan?”

Lane has the decency to look guilty. “I know you hate celebrating your birthday, but we wanted to spend it with you, and this was the best way I could think how to.”

I glance at Doug, wondering whether he’s included in this ‘we’, and when he smiles warmly at me, the butterflies in my stomach wake from the nap they’ve been taking.

“Are you ready to order?” the server asks, appearing at the table.

We all look at each other sheepishly before Aldo speaks. “Can we have a few more minutes?”

“Of course.” The server smiles. “I’ll bring over some bread for you.”

As she leaves, we concentrate on the menu. It’s much more than a simple ‘pizza place’ and the amount of Italian on the menu has me a little overwhelmed.

“Oh my god.” Aldo moans, his head dropping back. “They havetimballo del Gattopardo. Nonna used to make that all the time when we’d go to visit. I haven’t had it in years.”

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